--- title: "Dana Makoto Sabraw | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dana-makoto-sabraw" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Dana Makoto Sabraw U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California · U.S. District Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California - State: California - Role: U.S. District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-08-16 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, S.D. California, 2003-present - He held the role of Chief Judge of the Southern District from January 22, 2021, to January 22, 2025 - United States District Judge for the Southern District of California, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 and confirmed by the Senate 95–0 - Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 1998-2003 - San Diego County Superior Court Judge (1998–2003), including criminal supervising and civil calendar duties - Judge, San Diego California North County Municipal Court, 1995-1998 - Current role: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California (incumbent) ### Education - McGeorge School of Law — J.D. (1985) - San Diego State University — B.S. (1980) - American River College ### Additional information - Nominated: May 1, 2003, by President George W. Bush - Confirmed: September 25, 2003, Senate vote 95–0 - Private practice, San Diego, CA, 1989-1995 - Private practice: Santa Barbara (1985–1989) and San Diego (1989–1995) - Private practice, Santa Barbara, CA, 1985-1989 - Born July 3, 1958, San Rafael, California. - Date of birth: 1958-01-01 - Sabraw is a founding member and former president of two American Inns of Court in San Diego, served on the Board of Governors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (San Diego Chapter), and was active in Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego FBA San Diego. - He also co-founded Just the Beginning, a mentorship program for underprivileged high school students FBA San Diego. - Birth place: San Rafael, CA ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Judges.aspx) - [Official roster](https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Judges.aspx) - [casd.uscourts.gov judicial profile or roster](https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Judges.aspx) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2821/dana-makoto-sabraw/) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2821/dana-makoto-sabraw/) - [Wikidata: Dana Makoto Sabraw](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5214782) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2821/dana-makoto-sabraw/) - [Wikidata: Dana Makoto Sabraw](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5214782) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dana-makoto-sabraw", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dana-makoto-sabraw", "name": "Dana Makoto Sabraw | KnowJudges", "description": "Dana Makoto Sabraw, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. 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Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.